Dream on Baby
by captainstar
Summary: James & Lily are meant to be. But why is there always something preventing them to be? The fact that Mr Popular has a string of girls(eg Courtney-who-wears-short-skirts)after him & nobody cares much about Miss Smart-muggleborn and a rising Dark Lord helps
1. The Start of Two Famous Lives

> Dream on Baby  
  
Chapter 1-The Start of Two Famous Lives  
  
"Mr Potter!"  
  
The tall young man facing the white wall had his hands shoved into his pockets. He paced around a square of white tiles in the corridor restlessly and sat back down on the plastic green chair.  
  
"Mr Potter? I-I-I mean, s-sir! So-sorry sir," stuttered the tiny elf in the doorway of the room opposite him, fiddling with his hat anxiously.  
  
Frederick Potter jerked out of his day-dream and whirled around to face the voice, his face breaking into a wide grin. "Just call me Fred," he chuckled, rumpling the stumbling elf's hat, "So, what's the news?"  
  
The clearly intimidated elf stared at him dumbfounded his jaw dropping to the floor-speechless with shock. The black-haired man grinned. "The n-nurse said th-that th-the baby's coming s-s-soon," the elf muttered, not sure of what his reaction would be-wondering if it was a one-off thing.  
  
"WHAT?" The elf stepped back. "Already?" The elf stared. "Ok...deep breath..." and he drew in a deep breath, "Hey you, do I look alright?" The elf's already large eyes were about to pop out of his head. "Obviously fine, lead the way old buddy," the man said running a hand through his thick black hair.  
  
The elf, now far from shock, found his jaw and slammed it shut; hitting himself on the head continuously before the young man grasped it and nudged the dwarfed elf through. The elf stretched up to the brass doorknob and turned it, revealing a bright patriotically marron and gold draped room. He regained movement in his legs and timidly walked across the soft maroon carpet. The man walked across it in less than a few steps.  
  
"Push sweetie!" encouraged the mid-wife who was crouched at the end of the bed. "Ahhh! I can't! The pain is killing me!" The young woman pushed her dark locks off her sweaty teary face, gripping the edge of the bed. "Liz!" "Ohhh Freddy baby! Sex wasn't worth this!" Elizabeth Potter wailed. "Oh come on!" "You're not the one with the watermelon coming out of your ass!" The young man grinned, "Well, I consider myself lucky then!" "ARGH!" she grumbled in exasperation, glaring at the man. "Sorry babe, are they treating you well?" he asked, walking up to the red- faced woman. "I made sure you had a room all to yourself, I don't really like other men staring at my naked girl when I should be the only one with the privilege," he continued, holding her hand and stroking it. He grinned at her, she glared at him, "Well they didn't do too bad of a job did they?" he continued fishing for a compliment. Her face softened, "No...so it was you who did all this," looking around in a daze at the maroon-coloured velvet that was draped all around the room. "Yeh, well I had to make sure my lucky girl had the best of the best," he said, giving her a kiss on the dripping forehead. "Typical...," The woman smiled at him and looked into his eyes, probably getting lost in there too. "Mrs Potter! If you don't hurry and push this baby out, he's going to suffocate!" Two pairs of eyes darted to the older woman. "Freddy baby, give me a kiss, I need some energy to push this thing out!" He obliged. He relaxed back on the chair, "Push!"-only to suddenly jump back up again. "Liz honey, you don't need to squeeze that hard!" He said wincing, massaging his hand through the gripping white fingers. "I-AM-IN-PAIN," the woman panted out. "Ok, push dear" "I AM!" "I heard that opening the windows helps women giving birth, something like letting the good spirits in and relaxing you..." "Would you like me to meditate the baby out right now?" "Well, it's very hot in here..." The elf pushed open a gap in the window. "Ahhh...Nurse how long have I been like this?" The nurse checked her watch and gave a small smile, "Nearly an hour dear" The woman screamed in pain as she looked up at the clock, "FIFTY-SEVEN MINUTES! I feel like I've been here for 57 HOURS!"  
  
And with that the baby's head popped out.  
  
"Look Lizzie, THE HEAD!" "It's not like you've never seen one before" "OUR BABY'S head?!" "Ok, so you haven't." "Oh look at it, it's got black hair like me, hurry up and push!" "HURRY UP? Easy for you to say!" He gave her another kiss and squeezed her hand.  
  
At 10: 47am, on 13th of June, after one hour and eleven minutes of labour, the son of Frederick and Elizabeth Potter was born.  
  
"Record time I must say!" the nurse commented, "I remember when I had my son Arthur, he didn't come out until it was after 16 hours of pain!" "Record time? 16 hours! I admire YOU!" The ear-piercing cry of a baby was heard in the maroon and gold draped room.  
  
"Did you hear something Joe?" "Bet you my broom it was the maternity ward" "Wouldn't be surprised-" "Boys, don't get too distracted, you have hearts to switch"  
  
"Oh dear, what a noisy baby!" The wrinkly baby continued to howl like there was no tomorrow. "All right, let me just cut your cord...hmm," the trainee held his scissors halfway in thought, "Maybe that's why you're crying..." he finished cutting it and tied a knot, looking back with a smile, "Well son of the Potter's, your cord's the first I've ever cut! Don't you feel special?" he cooed, prodding the baby on its stomach, hoping to calm his cries. The baby continued to bawl its eyes out. "Oh don't cry...oh come on, don't cry...please don't cry...please don't cry," he looked around frantic, "um...NURSE! NURSE FUTÉ!"  
  
It's a work of art. She professionally hands the howling baby to her tired mum and he's as silent as a ventriloquist's doll. He charmingly grins up to her mother with his hazel eyes wide open-his future already laid out for him. The trainee clenches his fist and glares at the baby, who blinks innocently at him.  
  
"16 hours you say? How did you manage!" the young mother asked, gently parting the blanket away from her new-borns face. "Oh, there is a long story to go with that! Don't worry 'bout that right now, would you like to call your son?" The older woman asks, summoning over additional blankets and clothes. "SON?" "Freddy, no need to be that surprised," the young woman said gazing at the baby that had just been handed to her, not noticing the man's goldfish-like face. "WHAT?" "Name to call him? Hm, I don't really know either. You don't need to shout either, the poor baby's ears are too new.' "No, I mean, he's a boy?!" "Yes! I thought we determined that a couple of minutes ago! Now a name! Didn't your grandmother prepare a list of appropriate names for us?" She looked up to a gaping mouth, "I think it's in my bag dear," she continued, nodding to her bag in the corner. He went to fetch the large tartan bag and hunted around inside, looking for the slip of paper. Finding what he was looking for, he bent over stretching his lanky body with his head inside the bag. "Should get a smaller bag, if my arm was any shorter!" "It was the smallest available in Wanders!" "Try Vermarchee" "VermarGI" "But you told me..." "Muggle brand and that's not even VerMARchee. They're actually really nice; I just can't stand to charm the inside of such a nice petite bag into a garbage truck." He strolled back to his wife carrying what seemed a very small slip of embossed paper. "So the list of appropriate names go...," he cleared his throat, "Edward- after my grandfather," he looked up to see her reaction. She screwed her nose, "As much as I love Grandpa Ed, we DO live in the 20th Century..." "So did he." "Next..." "Alexander-after my father," he looked up again to catch a raised-eyebrow. "Further down the list?" "Henrik-brother, William-cousin, Geoffery-other cousin, Benjamin-other cousin, Charles-must we name our child after my second cousin? Donald...this is getting kind of pathetic honey, are there any decent names on your side of the family tree? Dominic-hey he's French! You know you could always name him after me...Frederick Junior..." "Dream on baby" "Ok, ok," He continued reading down the list, "James...," he paused to think. "I kinda like that one" "Me too" "And your Grandmother finds it acceptable" "Which is very good." "James Abraham Potter" "Not bad," he said lifting his head high to gaze into the distance "Not bad at all," she echoed, nodding in return.  
  
Half a year later, matters were rather different in St Vincent's...  
  
David and Rose Evans sat on a plastic green chair in the emergency room of St Vincent's-waiting for a hospital bed.  
  
"Madam? Madam? How long has it been since your water broke?" The young woman smiled and answered, "About 20minutes ago, my husband rushed over here as soon as possible," squeezing his hand gently. "Ok, well we won't keep you waiting for too much longer, come with me and I'll get you a bed."  
  
They trudged along the numbered beds in the large originally-white room until they reached a crinkled bed shoved roughly into the corner of the room.  
  
"I am so sorry...," the nurse apologised, straightening out the sheets, "The Government really needs to place extra money in hospitals in the coming Budget don't you think?" She fluffed the pillows in an effort to make the rickety hard bed more inviting, "I am so sorry, it will have to make do...ring the bell if you need additional help..." She tottered away, nervously fidgeting with her fingers.  
  
The young couple looked at each other and the woman climbed into the bed, making herself comfortable.  
  
Nurse Arabella Figg shook her head as she tottered away to make her 5th cup of coffee for that hour. If only I wasn't a squib! I could give them nice sheets-ironed-white oh and ones that smell nice too... She looked back at them only to throw her hands up in frustration. Waste of sympathetic thoughts! They are fine! She had caught them in a very intimate moment. She sighed. Why can't I be that lucky...?  
  
"Cuppa coffee Rosie?" the yawning sun-bleached, sun-tanned man asked. "Oh thanks-a-bunch, I really need one of them right now...I can't fall asleep in the middle of labour can I?" He trod away, shoulders slightly slouched from lack of sleep, and his hand running through his hair to clear is out of knots from slipping in and out of sleep.  
  
"Another cuppa Rosie?" the yawning sun-bleached, sun-tanned man asked. "Would that be your fifth?" she inquired "Perhaps...I can't fall asleep in the middle of labour can I?"  
  
"Um Rosie..." "Get me one too thanks" "Sure thing"  
  
"Uh Rosie..." "Next time" "No, um, I'm just going to the bathroom ok?" he said with a flushed face. "Well, of course, you've had like how many cups?" "I think 11..."  
  
On his 13th cup though, the amazing happened... "ARGH! There's another one! Dave! I think it's coming! I think it's coming!" she laughed and waved her arms around in excitement. "That's wonderful!" he opened a bleary eye. Finally I can get out of this hole! "Do you think I should get that nurse again?" "Yes! Yes! Now! Our kid's coming!"  
  
"Push dear! If you don't push, the poor thing's going to be trapped in there!" "Rosie, imagine you're on a big one and you hafta push! Push to get out of that barrel! Before it totally dumps you! The young woman glanced at the nurse then slid her eyes across to her husband and gave worried smile with her eyebrows bent and her nose screwed, "I'll try?"  
  
She screwed her face up and pushed with all her might.  
  
The baby slid out.  
  
The two stared incredulously at the silent, blinking, breathing baby then at the open-mouthed, staring, gasping mother.  
  
Nurse Figg gasped as she realised what had just happened. Her eyes were popping out of its socket at the revelation displayed in front of her, they widened as she discovered the truth behind it. She grinned. One day...in the near future... Hopefully. She added to her thoughts.  
  
"Dave! Pinch me! Did I really see what I just saw? Did that baby just slide out of me?" she asked frantically, still not believing what has just happened. "Don't worry honey, you're not hallucinating yet," he reassured her "AM I DREAMING?" "Um, I don't think you are!" her husband answered, now not so sure himself.  
  
"That baby just slid out of me!" "I know, you know Rosie, maybe my surfing encouragement thing helped?" "Maybe I did it by myself!" "Well, dear, of course, you did," he said smiling and nodding in mock agreement. "Dav-id! You know I did!" "Sure darling, what-ev-er you say..." kissing her on the cheek lightly.  
  
"David!" "Sorry Rose, your majesty" "We should think of a name soon for our little girl you know" The mid-wife finally came back with a pair of scissors, "I am so sorry, I had to sterilise these and well, there was quite a queue!" He cut the cord neatly and efficiently tied a knot and handed her to the nurse for a general check. The onlooking Nurse Figg commented, "She hasn't cried a single note yet" "She gets that from me" "Obviously dear," the sound of sarcasm rocketed off the ceiling "And her eyes," stating the obvious "That was obvious. I hope she doesn't end up with blond hair too! Blond hair and green eyes just don't go!" "Thanks Rosie" "No pro-blem! She really has been quiet. Maybe she'll be the 1-in-a- billion easy-to-care for babies!" "Dream on baby" "Back to names...it can't be that hard. After all, it has to be after a flower. Don't look at me like that David, you know it does! And it's been in the families for gen-er-a-tions! So don't spoil it!" "A nice one then" "I want a nice one too you know-" "Flower deliveries!" the nurse dropped a bouquet of flowers onto the still- large-bump. Some inspiration perhaps? Thought the young woman. "It's from mum!"  
"That was nice of her"  
"Mmm..." he mumbled in agreement.  
"Gerbras...we can't really name her Gerbra..."  
"Daisy? There's a couple of them there...  
"Nah, that's my great-grandma." "Uh..." he inspected the large bunch, squinting to catch a sight of any unusual flowers, "Iris?" "Well...yeh, it's a pretty flower! But it..." She racked her brains for an excuse, "You know eyes have irises." "Yeh der, its that coloured bit right? Ok, gotcha, you don't like it" "Here's your baby dear," Nurse Figg gently laid the baby into her open arms. The baby stretched it's tiny baby, switched sleeping positions and curled up again, with her mouth slightly open. "Hey, a lily...there's one...right in the middle...that could kinda like symbolise her ay? If you look at it in that kinda deep way...you know...as like uniqueness. Well first, she didn't cry-hasn't cried either..." "I like it" "Lily...my mum, your mum?...Evans..." "What's the tradition?" "Got none. How 'bout we'll go to your side and scab a name? After all the first is mine, you can have the middle!" "Joy..." "Come on! Lily Sarah Evans" "A beauty" "Just beautiful"  
  
And that was the start of two very famous lives...  
  
Disclaimer: JK Rowling and her creation...Harry Potter  
  
Summary: James Potter and Lily Evans were meant to be. But why is there always something preventing them to be together? Of course, the fact that Mr Popular has a string of girls (eg Courtney-who-wears-too-short-skirts) after him and nobody cares much about Miss Smart-muggleborn and a rising Dark Lord helps.  
  
AN: hi!! I will revise this chapter. But I was so desperate to get it up I couldn't wait. I really hoped you enjoyed reading the first chapter. I seriously intend to write more...if people want to read it. I don't care if people want to read it because they like it or if they want to see how bad I can get it. Well I do...I'll just try and improve! This chapter came out very late. I intended to 'publish' this the day I saw HP3 (the first day it came out;) xx lucky aren't I? my lovely school booked TWO WHOLE sessions hehe) that didn't happen because I didn't get home til 10- which was 'too late' to go log onto the net. So I postponed release date to that long weekend I had. I was too lazy and caught up with homework. So I postponed release date to after 2 major maths tests, 2 science tests (incl. a redo-our whole class failed the first one). And then was the term-break. 3 weeks of pure bliss. And then was 7 pages of work! If people actually respond, I'll actually churn out stories much more efficiently! Rather than dawdling and putting on and off.  
  
Those who want to read this story. (Hopefully some) I don't intend on making this story very dark, even if Voldemort's in it. But there will be some dark bits. And my other story. That was actually very dark. But I'm not depressed anymore, but (again) I do have the plot and everything written out in that story. It's just that no-ones reading it. So I haven't found the need to upload it. Star xx


	2. Two Very Different Lives

Dream on Baby  
  
I'd like to THANK: FallenFlower-my first ever reviewer sniff, sorry about the format, is it better now?  
  
Away with the Faires4-aw thanks! Your stories aren't bad yourself (yes I really did read them, I'm currently reading 'Story of a Girl')  
  
James-RoxMySox-I was planning to go straight to First Year, but I thought if we saw their fifth birthday would be cute.  
  
Amy Lampion-thanks heaps pal  
  
Chapter 2-Two Very Different Lives  
  
On the eve of young Mr James Potter's fifth birthday, his two very worried parents were in a heated discussion over a rather important matter.  
  
"An-drew! We got him broomsticks last year!"  
  
"A boy can never have too many broomsticks!"  
  
"Andrew! We got him one for his fourth birthday and for Christmas..." her voice rising.  
  
"Alright, don't get your panties in a knot," he stole a glance at his wife, "Sorry," he added quickly, "I was kidding" finishing off his recovery with a blinding smile.  
  
"You've bleached your teeth again."  
  
"What can you do if you drink Tia Talineés Tea and also want white teeth...?"  
  
"That stuff browns your teeth in one cup!"  
  
"My point exactly," sighing into his cup of tea.  
  
"Which is why you don't drink it now!" exclaimed his shocked wife and struggled to carefully twist the cup out of his hand. "Accio cup!"  
  
"Aww Liz..."  
  
"Don't even think about it, think more about your sons birthday present."  
  
"I have. A broomstick!"  
  
The elf who was at the doorway on the verge of bringing him some more tea turned on his heel at the sight of the sparking lady and tip-toed back out, glancing back every couple moments.  
  
"Dipsy! Don't worry about her; she'll be fine in a jiffy! Cup right here please," he indicated to an empty spot on the very cramped table. "Ah, I'll fix that!" He casually waved his hand and all the papers and various objects neatly stacked and ordered themselves on the table. "Right there thank-yooou!" indicating to the exact same spot. "Hmm, a tad more perhaps?" Again, he swished his hand and a generous amount was added to his already filled-to-the-brim cup. "I think I might enlarge the cup," and again, with a swish of his hand the Mega cup was upgraded to a Maxi-size cup.  
  
"Oh Andrew!" She had been silently watching him in shame. "If it wasn't for magic!"  
  
"If it wasn't for magic indeed!" nodding in agreement, "I wouldn't have pearly white teeth and at the same time enjoy the joys of Tia Talineés Tea!  
  
"Oh what the? What do you want to give him?"  
  
"I just think we need to be more creative. What if one year they don't come out with a new broomstick?"  
  
"We'll worry about it then."  
  
"What's that Quidditch team he's so obsessed with?"  
  
He looked up to the chandelier in thought, "Probably Montrose Magpies, he has a taste for the best. Remind me to tell Dipsy that one of the light bulbs need changing"  
  
"Couldn't you use magic?" She stared at him as if he had been blasted with Oblivious.  
  
"Hm...these are muggle light bulbs"  
  
"Are you feeling alright? Who says you can't use magic to change muggle things?"  
  
"Nobody! I just prefer to stick with muggle things when using muggle things"  
  
She sighed, figuring she had lost this argument, "I don't care! As long as you get Dipsy to do it and you watch him and help him which he most likely needs!"  
  
"Really? That's odd! I'm sure your family didn't support them...wasn't it the Prides?"  
  
"Oh them! Yeh...that was before their chaser-Catriona McCormack went off and got married and then her daughter coming to play with them!"  
  
His wife looked blankly at him for a second, "Oh dear..."  
  
"Too true! She was much too busy fretting over her daughter to care about the bloody quaffle!" He gripped his red leather armchair in anger as he remembered that fateful day-when the Prides lost because McCormack had completely forgotten about the quaffle at the crucial point, giving the game away to the Wasps.  
  
"No need to raise your voice dear, especially with that language of yours!" she patted his arm sympathetically. "Well to be honest, wouldn't you worry if James played with you in one of the most dangerous sports in the world?"  
  
"I'd encourage him to whack their heads off before they got his!" gesturing to indicate visually what he meant.  
  
"Da-vid! That's not the attitude!"  
  
"Sorry," he dipped his head, pouted a little and looked sadly at his wife.  
  
"Don't give me that! We still have a son's present to decide!"  
  
"How about this. I'll give him a broomstick-how about a Cleansweep-cleanly sweep up his remains-ha!-I'm only kidding dear...Nimbus 1000, they're the newest ones out!" he settled back into his chair.  
  
"B-but...that's a real broomstick!" his wife stared disbelievingly, she on the other hand, sat straight up.  
  
"He's five! He can handle it!" her husband didn't think there was anything strange with it.  
  
"Oh...I wouldn't be too sure...Can't we just get him the toy version of Nimbus 1000?"  
  
"Sorry dear, gave him that last year," he yawned and waited for her to give in.  
  
"Oh...," her face clouded with doubt and anxiety.  
  
"He'll be fine! Anyway, you can get him tickets to the Montrose Magpies game," he waved it off to her with his hand.  
  
"Oh...lovely...that'll just give him more the reason to use that stick!"  
  
"Broomstick dear. How about this? By the way, can I come too? I want to see how the Magpies whoop the Arrows." He chuckled, "Ah...that last game was funny, no doubt Magpies ah premier favourites winning it thirty-two times already...Oh yes," catching a glare from his wife, "I will watch him for the first week every time he uses that stick," he sat back into his chair, satisfied at his win.  
  
"First two months," she bargained  
  
"Month."  
  
"Seven weeks," her eyes narrowing dangerously  
  
"Six weeks."  
  
"You're pushing it...fine!"  
  
And her husband looked up to the ceiling mournfully, dangling his arms over the chair, thinking at how much time he had sacrificed from playing polo.  
  
"And you are not to take him out for midnight rides!" she said, continuing to drill him.  
  
"Honey, that's the only way to prepare him for those midnight Quidditch games..."  
  
His wife shot him another dangerous look.  
  
"Ok dear, about his birthday party...should we have it in the usual Botanical Gardens...we could portkey down everyone-though last time was a rather close call-it's nice there, but I really hate having to oblivate the really nice people...who knows who'll be there this time...or we could have it in our Belle Courtyard, you know the one with the quaffle posts hung up...though I don't think the two and a half acres is merely enough for the boys to run around in..."  
  
In the other side of the Hampshire estate, a small black-haired boy settled into his bed with a grin like as big as the moon's crescent.  
  
Half a year later...things were, let's say, rather different...  
  
In a humble cottage of Devon, two young parents were tossing and turning over their young daughter's fifth birthday.  
  
The originally-dirty-brown haired man turned to face his wife in their squishy bed, "Whacha going to get for Lily?"  
  
His wife laid in her bed and looked up at the glow-in-the-dark stars stuck on the ceiling, "To be honest, I was going to get her a Barbie, isn't it a pity she's not like other little girls?"  
  
"Yeh...," her husband sighed and turned back over to face the eerily bright yellow stars.  
  
"Do you remember last year..."  
  
"Oh...yes...quite clearly..."  
  
And they both sighed.  
  
"Lily!"  
  
A small girl turned around from her gathering of flowers to face her parents and a small group of friends who had tightly gathered themselves around a small table.  
  
"Come over here Lily, your friends have something to give you. Isn't so sweet of them?"  
  
She skipped over the lush-green grass with its random dandelions and flowers, her two red plaits bouncing behind her back, her polka-dot dress flapping as she skipped.  
  
"What is it...?" she asked shyly. She softly treaded the grass until she reached the table.  
  
"Happy Birthday!" the kids turned around and placed colourful shiny hats on the heads and started singing Happy Birthday to Lily.  
  
"What do you think Lily?" her father had her arm around his wife and bent down to be eye-level with Lily.  
  
"Thanks dad, thanks mum," she answered quietly and quickly gave each a tight hug.  
  
Her parents silently stepped back and watched the children play. They watched Lily laugh gently at her friends jokes and her grin broaden as each present was passed into her hands. Time passed and it was time for her friends to go home. They greeted, they bid goodbye.  
  
"Bye Lily!" "Have a great birthday Lily darling, be a good boy and say bye bye Sam" "See ya later"  
  
"Lily do you want to go on the slide again before you go home? Take Petunia with you too."  
  
The two girls trooped off playfully making fun of each other. The young couple looked at each other and smiled.  
  
"Carrot-head!" and the group of four-year-old boys broke out in laughter.  
  
The red-head stopped and turned around, her green eyes silencing and chilling the laughing boys' blood.  
  
"Ha...ha...we were...uh...only...uh...kidding!"  
  
And their noses were broken and possibly lost their manhood too. But they wouldn't figure that out until a decade later.  
  
"Her tempers as red as her hair."  
  
"That's really not all that funny."  
  
He sighed. "What should we give her? Some lavender scents?"  
  
She twisted around to face him and gave him a playful glare, "Not funny again."  
  
"What it would be good for her, she can have better sleep too!"  
  
An eyebrow rose.  
  
"Well uh, I heard somewhere that if you sniffed lavender it would make you kinda like drowsy..."  
  
"Sounds like some drug to me."  
  
"It's a flower Rose dear, you should know from your line of flowers."  
  
Bad move by her husband. He copped a mouth full of pillow fluff. And part of the ceiling came crashing down.  
  
"Rosie..."  
  
They both looked over their shoulder to the corner where they saw a great gaping hole with plasterboard dust still floating softly to the ground.  
  
"It's like a White Christmas...," her mind dazing away...  
  
"Rosie! Where do you live again?"  
  
They both inspected the site again, noticing the corner had just caved in and broken off in one piece. They looked up and saw little cracks forming all across their white Victorian decorated ceiling. The light bulb shivered as a crack ran along its silver back.  
  
"Oooh..." his mouth still in the form of the O. "Oh dear," her mind finally registering what was happening, "Let's duck out honey..."  
  
They both softly treaded the hard carpet, careful not to cause any movement that would make it crack any further, and into the lounge.  
  
"What are we going to do?" she wailed under her breath. She covered her face with her hands in distraught. Her husband comforted her, patting her lightly on the back.  
  
"I'll fix it up tomorrow, don't worry."  
  
"Let's worry about Lily's present first shall we?"  
  
"And our bed?" he asked. She indicated to the wrinkly grey lounge.  
  
"I'll get some blankets k? Meanwhile, please think of some ideas!"  
  
He looked at the retreating back with raised eyebrows, shrugged, and made himself comfortable in the couch, conveniently taking up most of the room. His eyes lightly scanned across the grey cluttered flower print swag and tail curtains, to the painted wooden window that has expanded-and- contracted once too many times, 'So that's where all that white flaky stuff has been coming from,...mental note: must apologise to Rosie for going off at her for leaving talcum powder around the house, buy some deodoriser for the Rosie/house and waterproof that window!' he thought, 'And clean it too,' noticing the grubby marks on the fossil. He continued to inspect, noticing a crack the width of a piece of hair in the browning-white striped wallpaper. He sighed.  
  
"Aww...you poor baby! You've thought about Lily's present so hard you're sighing!" she said dumping a blanket on him and snuggling into one herself.  
  
"Mmm...Hmm...," he nodded his head, careful not to look her way, let alone catch her eye.  
  
"Look at me..."  
  
"Um...I'm feeling a little tired..." he closed his eyes  
  
"David..."  
  
"Yeh...uh, care to finish this conversation tomorrow?"  
  
"Try again!" she leaned over to him and forced open his eyes.  
  
He opened his eyes to find her face on top of his, "Argh...you scared me..." he said sarcastically.  
  
"I will next time if you won't start paying attention."  
  
"You know, no-ones really spoken to me since that teacher in yr 4...Mrs Biddle?"  
  
"Mrs Biddle?" her lower jaw dropped to the floor.  
  
"Yeh," satisfied with her reaction.  
  
"Honey...we need a present for Lily dear..." she sweetly said, fluttering her eyelashes.  
  
"That doesn't work for me-"  
  
"Anymore!"  
  
"Ok...ok...hey what's that plastic thing that all her friends are crazy about?" He pulled up his blanket thinking they were nearly finished.  
  
"Hers or Petunias?"  
  
"Um..."  
  
"Petunia's dear. And those plastic things are Barbies."  
  
"I think it's immoral for little girls to play with those things. Have you seen those things? Those extra large boobs...those hot legs and her face! She is like every little girl's dream I'd think! My dream anyway-"  
  
"Hey!"  
  
"Kidding..., but she is hot in that sense...I mean like, if she was real...she'd have all, I mean many, I mean some guys chasing her..."  
  
"She can't be real anyway."  
  
"Why, because if she exists, all the girls would kill her out of jealousy?"  
  
"Haha...no...more like her body is out of proportion and that she'd topple because those hot legs can't support the weight of those extra large boobs."  
  
He stared at her in shock and then broke out in laughter.  
  
"Shush David, girls are sleeping...silently!"  
  
"Are – you – kidding - me?" He was still shaking in laughter.  
  
"No."  
  
"I have never in my life heard of someone not being able to support the weight of their boobs."  
  
"That's because they're non-existent. How many Barbie's do you actually think are in the world?"  
  
"Oh um...the plastic things? I don't know. I'd guess about...let's see, about half our population are female..." he said ticking off his fingers as he went, "I'd say about a sixth are people-who-play-with-Barbie ages...and there's a good trillion and a half in this world...I'd say...oh and a girl must have more than one Barbie...I'd say...You could search on the internet."  
  
She rolled her eyes, "People David! How many brain cells do you exactly own at the moment?"  
  
"I'll check tomorrow."  
  
She sighed and settled into another position.  
  
"She likes to read," she stated succinctly  
  
"Yeh...those caterpillar and the 'Once an old lady swallowed a fly books', I don't think that's the best for her dear," he replied with eyebrows raised.  
  
"No, no," she sat up straight again, "Have you noticed lately that she's starting to read the labels on her cereal?"  
  
"Oh so is her vocab the length of Coco-pops to Weet-bix, with her favourite word being Fruit-loops."  
  
"Not yet, I'm not placing a bet on it being not though."  
  
"That's just great."  
  
"So I was thinking along the lines of Dr Suess..."  
  
"Green eggs and ham?" he turned around so she could see his horrified face, "I don't want to have to food dye her food so that she'll eat it!"  
  
"I'll do that job."  
  
"No! As much as you and I love Dr Suess, she's too young to understand."  
  
"It's EASY to read."  
  
"I'll agree with you on that one, but I wasn't thinking of getting her to read the book yet!"  
  
"Oh..." her eyebrows narrowed in thought.  
  
"Remember the Little Mermaid..."  
  
She sighed and closed her eyes, "Yes..."  
  
"Well I thought we should start off reading to her, ok, so I'm sure she'd like to join in, but still...I don't want her to group up too quickly!"  
  
She thought about it and agreed.  
  
"That is awesome, let's get her a special edition one...one with the nice leather covers...I'm sure we can afford it once in a while...we'll just have to cut back...on the types of cereal we buy! Go no-brand!"  
  
She leaned back and thought, "Yeh...so she grows up thinking she'll live happily ever after?"  
  
And how wrong Rose Evans was...  
  
A/N: Ok, all get your guns out and shoot me. I am so sorry, I hit a very cluttered part of my life, and everyday seemed to be piled with more and MORE homework. I'm very happy though now, I managed-netball training at 6- 45 in the morning, a maths competition, my DT project that had to be handed in, an English oral assessment and a swimming race where I did 4 events in after training, with waking up at 3 in the morning because my body clock is out of batteries. Trust me, I was not a happy Jan on Thursday. But I'm here now!! Another thing, I'm planning to update once every 2 weeks, I'm really sorry, this week I have a Jap test and next week I have a Science and as much as I love science, I'm not very good at it, so I'll have to hit the books! Today, marks the celebration of my new computer, that is why I made a super special effort to update. It helps when you have no outstanding homework:D. Of course, what spurred me the most and made me think not to give up were my 4 great reviewers-FallenFlower, Away with the Fairies, James-RoxMySox and Amy Lampion (and check out their stories while you're at it, their author names are as I've put them). Sorry, please excuse any spelling/grammar errors, I was in such a rush to post this, I haven't actually proofread this yet. Heheh...Sorry-once my updating starts to get more regular and when I suffer from writer's block, I think I might read back. But, if anybody spots a super huge error, I wouldn't mind you telling me, if you can't be bothered, don't worry about it. Star xx 


	3. Expect the Unexpected

* * *

Dream on Baby 

Thank you Away with the Fairies4 for your review! This chapter is for you!

Chapter 3-Expect the Unexpected

Lily Evans confidently walked onto Kings Cross Station, only to find nothing to be so certain about. She turned around to face her parents with a question mark written all over her face.

Mrs Evans walked over to the nearest stationmaster, adjusted her handbag and politely asked, "Excuse me Sir, do you know where Platform 9 and ¾ is?"

Only to be sprayed with spit, "You crazy lunatics," he roared, "That has got to be the fifth time this morning, those bloody directors and authors, putting this nonsense into these people minds..." he went off continuing to mutter to himself irately.

She gave an apologetic smile and shrugged.

Lily stood between the platforms nine and ten, willing something to happen. She nervously pulled a piece of red hair that was already behind her ear, behind it again. She thought back to when she first found out she was a witch...it was as well received as she could wish is to be.

"_Lily dear, you've received a letter!"_

_It was an ordinary summer day, the birds were twitting the trees and grass were as green as ever, no-one could have suspected anything different about the Evans household. Honestly speaking, the suburb was so reclusive that nobody would have noticed the pure-white owl drop a letter in the strategically placed letterbox, which was under the dingy porch-even in the bright morning sun, under a cobwebbed metal flap. It seemed to have flew right over the small pile of white envelopes on the doormat._

_"It must be important Lily, they put it through the flap...can you remember the last time they did that?" the older two chuckled lightly._

_The older woman sighed, "It was a parking ticket for your father's van," pointing outside to the white kombi van with the pink and purple flowers painted roughly on the outside. So much had changed in the last few years..._

_"Yeh well, that guy was pretty desperate huh?"_

_"Two hundred pounds, that's not bad money!"_

_"Yeh, course, from all those parking tickets they've got from my van!"_

_"Dear, that's why you don't park outside the Buckingham when you're protesting!"_

_"Yeh well...," he continued mumbling something about being noticed, but picked himself up and loudly asked Lily, "So...do you plan on opening that very important letter of yours?"_

_She quickly flicked her long red hair back to face her parents and flashed a grin, "Sure dad"_

_In her whole life, Lily had never received a letter. If she was invited to a birthday party, the person's parent would phone up and quietly talk to her mother. At birthday parties she was always the second to sit out on the game, why not last? Because that position was for the person most hated by everyone. She never got bills from her bank account, simply because her parents it was hard enough to keep theirs open. So she fingered the slick red wax seal on the crisp paper, secretly wondering who could afford a seal but still use this recycled feeling paper._

_"Well open it!" Her parents had come down to either side of her shoulders and had poked their long noses down from behind, watching every move she made._

_She smiled as she ran her finger along the edge and slowly sliced the top with her finger._

_"You coulda' opened it the normal way," said her father bluntly with a touch of annoyance._

_"Shut up dad, just because you want to see it! Anyway, the seal is...nice"_

_"You're annoying."_

_She took the letter that was made of the same material as the envelope cautiously, careful not to rip it._

_"Take your time darling."_

_She, with the same caution, unfolded it._

_Her mouth dropped to the floor, but she quickly recovered and her eyebrows crossed._

_"Well?"_

_"Not funny!"_

_She stomped out of the room in frustration. All that time and...happiness...had gone down the drain again. For the first time she had actually felt acceptance in this world. But of course, someone thought it would be terribly funny if they sent her a letter about going to some phony school in whoop whoop. She sighed._

_"For an eleven year old, she sure knows how to feel pain!"_

_"Well...what do you expect...you're her mother after all!"_

_"Now that is not funny David."_

_"Have you exactly finished that letter yet?"_

_"How odd...something about magic in some farm school..."_

_"The pranks these days...are very original I must admit, when I was at school, there was nothing like this!"_

_She mumbled in agreement, but her mind did wander in wonder._

_The owl outside the front door flew off._

_That afternoon, a couple of letters somehow made it in through the letterbox again, "How odd...letters in the morning and the afternoon? The posties must have had a pay-rise!" and through the toilet window sill to a toilet-sitters surprise which was seen through his colourful language and through the kitchen window to a coffee-makers surprise, "Sorry dear, I had to make it again, something seemed to have flown in and made the kettle all red...No it's not blood...Yes I'm fine...Carry on dear before you kill yourself with that hammer!"_

_"Rosie, has it ever occurred to you that this mightn't be a hoax?"_

_"Um...every second since she got that letter?"_

_"Why?"_

_"First, who would spend that much time on a prank letter? Plus spend money on that wax seal, they could use it for other stuff!"_

_Lily listened to her parents talk around the corner and the corners of her upturned mouth slowly rose...maybe her dreams could come true. The window next to her quietly slid up and a yellow envelope gently fell into her hands._

_She tiptoed back around the corridor and heavily walked to the door "Mum...I got another letter..."_

_"Oh, dear...we were just saying...Ok...as weird and as...I don't know...like...what...what if this was like...true?" emphasising on-true._

_"So what do you say Lily-kins, send the letter away? If it's a phony letter, we can laugh at ourselves ten years down the track!"_

_They read the letter and got out a pen and neatly jotted down a quick answer on a piece of paper, "What's with that paper? This magic school must be rich dude!" tied it with trouble on the fidgety owl, "What's gotten into this thing?" and then sent it out, all hoping it knew its way with Lily's mum commenting, "I hope it has a street directory with it. It's going to be hard to find way through the clouds."_

_When they arrived at Diagon Alley, there was much more pinching arms and rubbing eyes, "A what? An arch opening up from a what? Solid brick wall?" awing and gasping, "Wow...look at that thing go...mind her head you! I swear that teapot was going to pour all that tea on her head! Shortcut you say! Murder I say!" and complaining, "Can you become magic?"_

_And the day came when they received the letter notifying them of their place of arrival, "Platform nine and three-quarters?"_

"Lily! Psst look to your right, look at that girl with the nice swishy black hair-oh why can't mine be like that?- and the funny screeching thing on top of her –_what is that humongous thing?-_ she's packed a fridge in that box!" her younger sister awed, temporarily forgetting her blonde curls that she had been tugging in complaint.

Lily wasn't quite sure whether people were staring at her because of her beauty of because of that owl. But her thoughts were quickly interrupted by a sickly annoying high-pitched voice.

"Mo-om! But you promised! You promised you'd get me the new _Charmed_ doll I saw in _BeWitched_!"

She turned around subtly careful not to attract too much attention. There she was with her mother-her too-blonde hair painfully reflecting the sunlight that was pouring in from the window above that was tilted back while complaining, sorry talking, to her mother. Her mother's wasn't much better with her face heavily plastered with colourful allsorts making her look like a sad clown and her hair showing re-growth.

"Oh sorry baby, I'll owl it to you ok?"

"Mom! I'm in England right now, I need some of my home stuff. Americans are so much better than these pom-boms!"

"Don't say that dear!"

"_I need it now Mom!_ What are they going to say when they see an American girl walk in without the latest _Charmed_ doll? Honestly mom!"

Courtney De Esse-Dulcedo just couldn't understand her mom. Everyone back at home had a _Charmed_ doll. She even had two of the special editions of Circe and Guinevere packed in her bag. But they were so two months ago! It was like against the cool law to have dolls from two months ago. It was so unfair how 'because she was eleven' she couldn't have make-up. How could she ever look like Guinevere without makeup? She was already halfway there, her cool friend Daphne had dyed her hair back to blonde. She decided from then on that every time she went out into the sun, she'd coat her hair with lemon juice first-it was close to the end of her world that her hair was growing darker. What made the end of the world even closer was that Bridget and Christine still didn't invite her to their afternoon tea-parties with their _Charmed_ dolls when she announced she was going to England to this _super-cool_ boarding school. All they said was a '_Goodbye'_ and a '_See ya later'_ from Christine. She was determined to bring cool-dom to this _place_. Correction, she didn't have to bring it, she was already _it_.

"Well what can we do? Run back out and go all the way to London Mall to get it? Your train comes in ten minutes!"

"Of course we could go all the way to London Mall to get it," she replied, as if there was nothing wrong with it, "There's nothing better than a grand entrance!"

"You don't need to talk _that_ loud darling. I'd rather you not have your _grand entrance_ this year Courtney, it is your first year."

She seriously couldn't believe it. Her own mom, not letting her come to school late? "Aw mom, but I want to stay with you as long as possible...," she said in a whiny voice.

"That's so sweet of you Courtney, but remember what Daddy said? You must go to school. You still want Helen don't you? I'll get you Agamemnon and Paris too."

"Yes _mom_."

Lily couldn't help it but laugh.

"Lily? It's ten to eleven. I think we should get on this train whatever it is soon."

She glanced over at the girl with the swishy hair and the struggling owl, "I might ask them?"

She held her head high and walked over, counting the neverending steps till...

"Hey!"

She looked up to face the Chinese girl...well the girl she thought was Chinese until she saw her sharp blue eyes. She gasped in surprise. "Uh...Hi," she stuttered out. "I'm Lily."

"I'm Marlene. Are you new this year? I am. My sister is forever raving on about how _cool_ blah is or how _fun_ blah is and it goes on and on," the girl with the swishy hair said. Lily immediately liked this girl, thinking she spoke well.

"Yeh...Um...Where's the platform? I haven't actually heard of it before..." she mumbled wishing she would just melt on the spot.

"Oh, are you new? Sorry have I already asked that? I meant, oh don't worry. Come with me I'll show you," she gestured to what looked like a pure brick wall.

"Ok...sure...just hold on a second." She left her luggage with the Marlene girl and ran back to her parents. "Bye mum, see ya dad," giving them both a tight hug and a kiss on the cheek. "Bye Petunia, I'll send you a big," roughly indicating a large box with her hands, "present for your birthday ok?" She hugged her, but her younger sister pulled her shirt and Lily bent down.

"Lily, _find out for me what she does to her hair!"_

* * *

__

Marlene was indicating what to do, "Run into the wall" to a very confused Lily. She tried to be reassured by Marlene, "Don't worry, everybody does it and nobody's been concussed yet" but to no avail, "Well I could be the first!". But at the end, it left only one solution-

"I'll go with you. That way we can get concussed together!"

-to a very shocked and now terrified Lily.

"Trust me," Marlene pleaded lightly closing her eyes and looking with such pity that Lily gave in.

Only to be pushed through the wall by a grinning Marlene.

"_What did you do that for?"_ cried the shocked Lily.

"To prove it's safe." She dragged a defiant Lily to the nearest carriage, "C'mon, sit here. I'm exhausted, we'll wait for my friend here and if you'll excuse me for asking but what have you got inside that trunk?"

* * *

Courtney glared at the redhead who had just disappeared into nowhere.

"Trying to pull a disappearing act on me? _Redhead_! Red hair is so not cool," she decided satisfactorily. She turned back to her mom and smiled sweetly at her. "Mom, you can go now. I need to make some new friends _now_," her voice dripping with honey. Artificial honey, make that.

"No dear, I'd like to see you board the train first."

"What? Ok, can you stand back to the other side of the arch and you can come through when I've gone ok?"

"When are you going?"

"When I find someone to go with _­may-be_," she rolled her eyes, _some people_ she thought.

"You can go with me!"

"You're the exact reason why I don't want to go mo-om!"

"That's not very nice dear," she held a firm grip on her daughter's wrist and looked to see if anyone was watching before entering the brick wall.

"_No_ mom!" she wrestled out of her grip. "Fine, I'm _so_ sorry _mom_. Now, if you really loved me, you'd stand back there," pointing to the plain wall behind them, "and _wait_ there until I meet _somebody_ to catch the train with. The last thing I need right now is to be the School Loner."

Her mother sighed and walked back earning herself a LipSmackered smile from her daughter. There was no point in the argument when she was in this mood, especially with the move. It wasn't like the American magic schools were terrible, she just thought it would be nice for her to mix with other kids while she was at that influential stage. So far, no change had been seen. And her hopes weren't keeping up either. If they were, the only way they were keeping up was that they were being hanged.

Courtney looked around. There was only five more minutes before the train left and England, despite their notorious reputation for having late trains, this train escaped the ritual and apparently always left on time.

And then she saw her.

Her sun kissed blonde hair rippled slightly out as a gentle gust of wind blew. Secretly, she thought it was so unfair she could look like the lead out of a movie that was reviewed by _BeWitched_, while she looked like an extra. She must be really drippy she assured herself again. But she's really pretty, the other side of her head debated. She weighed her chances and decided that she'd be better off with a girl that was sort of prettier than her-she could always curse her to have pimples for the rest of her-than get on a train and be a total Loser.

"Hi. I'm Courtney. You look like you could do with some friends. You could join me if you like."

She lifted her head to face the owner of the voice, "Um...I was about to-"

"-come with me of course! Come along now," she said as she dragged them both through the barrier, "So what's your name?"

"Amelia," she whispered, glancing to both sides frequently.

"Amelia, you are really pretty, so don't waste it. Of course, you're going to become into a cool girl with my help but you'll have to prove yourself worthy first. Worthy of what you may ask? My time and your looks. Now let's start off with your head, always look up, yep that's the way," she commented lifting her chin, "And always talk with a loud and clear voice, you want people to hear about you...oh carriage, c'mon. Do you think you could get mine? Be careful though, I've got Circe and Guinevere inside...Oh you don't know what they are? Are you muggle-born? How can you not have heard of them then? Oh you have so much to learn..."

* * *

James Potter, freshly eleven, strutted around the station looking for the average person to play his latest prank that involved a certain fruit. He had discovered it after watching muggle TV and this particular prank occurring quite a number of times, and after the 7th time in that episode, he came to the conclusion that this prank was no failure and went ahead to test it. So far, he has found no willing participants in his experiment, so he thought he might have to pick out randoms and tell them later what the sore bottom was for. Well he assumed they got sore bottoms after seeing the reaction of the poor people who had unknowingly fallen into the trap of some funny prankster-of course, personally he thought he was much more successful at pranking people than that man with the funny name, Mr what? Mr Pea?

And he spotted the boy to do the job. A boy around his age-he thought it would be safer to pick his age or younger to start off with-with hair that had been intentionally casually spiked up. He followed him and noticed him round a corner of a square block in the middle of the station. _Ahh_ he thought, _Bingo, my chance_! He doubled back running until he reached the corner he thought he would come around from and casually dropped his banana peel on the floor. Looking around to see if anyone had caught him, he ran back around the corner to where he was originally and slowly walked...trying to act normal.

"AAAAAAAAAARGH!"

With a loud bang as the two large skulls collided with each other, the two boys clutched their heads in pain as the banana peel attached to each of their feet slid off in a messy heap.

"_You_?" they both stared at each other.

And cracked up.

"Good one mate," clapping each other on the back.

"Not bad yaself, geddit from a show?"

"Mate yeh, that Mr Pea show?"

"Yeh that whatever...Mr Pea...actually come ta think of it I think it's bean but let it flow."

"Hey I'm James."

"Sirius is mine."

"Hm...nice," he said, trying hard to hold back a grin.

"Named after the brightest star in the sky mate," he laughed lightly.

"Haha we'll see about that one," and they both laughed quietly as they boarded on the train.

A sandy-haired boy poked his head in the carriage.

"Hey you, you dropped this," holding on to what looked like air.

James's mouth dropped and reached out to feel what looked like air, "Mate thank-you so much. My dad would have killed me if I had left it on that bloody platform, he says there are scabbers everywhere on nine and three-quarters because they reckon we are all rich," he fingered what looked like air again, "Come sit mate, you're welcome here any day anytime."

He helped him lug his trunk in the carriage and heave it up onto the rack, "What size is your trunk? Extra-large?"

"Probably, got loadsa stuff to pack, you never know when there's the right person to pull a trick on," he said winking.

"Ooh good, so what's your name?"

"Lupin. Remus Lupin."

"James. And this is Sirius," who nodded his way.

"Nice ta meet ya dude. Welcome," casually showing the carriage with his hand.

* * *

Amelia nodded politely, giggled lightly when needed and said the occasional, "Mhmm...". She didn't exactly understand this girl. And she didn't have much idea where Marlene was; she knew she was on this train somewhere-she had seen her outside the station but her parents insisted on going to the bathroom before so they lost sight. As her fellow schoolmate droned on about hair straightening, she slowly nodded off to sleep...

* * *

Marlene was starting to worry where her friend had disappeared off too. She honestly did like Lily, but she wanted her to meet Amelia.

Lily did notice her fidgety and anxiety but thought it was just a post-sorting thing. She was grateful she had found Marlene as a friend, she had no idea where she would be; let alone what to do, if it wasn't for her. But that was the least of her worries, the sorting, after listening to Marlene, it was as if they were being tested on something they hadn't even revised on. The only thing that assured her was that she had read all her books before coming to Hogwarts earning a very surprised but full of admiration comment from Marlene-

"What? You've read all your books? You freak!"

She thought it would be safer to come prepared, after all she thought, there can't be that many witches coming from non-magic families.

"Yeh well, I wasn't sure what we were meant to know...so I thought I might be safe if I kinda...learnt everything beforehand!"

Marlene just stared at her in awe, "Wow..."

"It's not that abnormal is it?"

* * *

On the train back home that following year, all Lily could say was that all that studying paid off.

"Well _ader_ Lily, you topped the class by a mile and a half!"

"No not really Marlene...I was just lucky."

"How many four leaf clovers does one exactly carry around?"

* * *

Disclaimer: All goes to JK Rowling. Well. _Ader_! Apologies for not putting it in previous chapter-will correct when find time!

A/N: Anticlimax? I'd expect you to say that. I am ever so sorry. But I didn't think I could dwell on first year forever and ever, well for starters you want to see some action between our dear Lily and James, and besides I only wanted to focus on one aspect per year (until 5th year). Sorry, don't expect such a long chapter for 2nd year. And that will come in at the most 2 weeks time...fair enough? If you bombard me with reviews...that could shorten and come around next week...-winking and nudging feverishly-. Also, I did a lot of review for this chapter. Sorry for boring you the first half of this chapter...I've noticed my style of writing was alternating a bit. I'll try to keep it light as soon as possible. And this came out very quickly when away with the fairies 4 reviewed! :D:D. this goes to her because she was the only one who reviewed! Again, because I was in such a hurry to get this up, I suspect this will be cluttered with errors and what not. Please forgive me -blinks innocently-. Ok, not working.

By the way, this will become a trilogy. Any new ideas or anything you want to see warmly welcomed :D.

Also, is anyone else having troubles trying to upload your docs? I tried for ages only to find all my italics gone -eyes narrow-. Ah well...life must go on. Also astericks are non-existent...how odd.

Thanks a billion for reading my fic, it means heaps.

Review!! Star xx


	4. Paths Running on Parallel Pines

Dream on Baby 

Thankyou so much for your reviews:

Away with the Fairies4-Sorry for not reading more of your story! I had that dreaded science testï. I'll finish it tomorrow I promise. Thanks for your patience and for sticking around to read this story!

Wackyone-Oooh, thanks for your review! Next chapter here!

Firemage-sorry, about telling you that you'll have to wait a couple of weeks until the start of some good L/J action. But there is reason for these preliminary chapters. Hint: Notice their personalities and any new characters placed. There's a reason for them. And they do exist those characters. However, thanks for the review.

Chapter 4-Paths Running on Parallel Lines

"Lily Evans?"

The redhead swiftly raised her hand, but never leaving her eyes of the greying professor, "Yes sir."

"Brilliant Evans, top marks!"

This time her face coloured quickly, "Thanks sir..." she mumbled.

"Well don't just sit there, come and get your paper!" he said heartily.

The class applaud her as she walked hurriedly up, with her head down, to the professor.

"In a hurry Evans? No need to be, oh! Don't worry, we won't be starting the Swelling Potion until next lesson. If there's time, we will have a demonstration at the end of the lesson on it. Evans! Off already? Come back and shake my hand! That's the girl. Congratulations Evans on top marks in the Potions topic test."

With her shoulders uptight and her face set with a grim smile, she gripped the professors what seemed enormous hand and obediently accepted his challenge. She walked back with her face still set but with her eyes wide open and glistening.

"James Potter?"

The tousled hair boy in the corner of the room continued to slap his hand on the table with Sirius, the boy sitting next to him, every couple of seconds, grinning every time he did. At one point he laughed so hard he fell back and messily pulled himself back on the chair.

All this time, the class was watching the silent show.

"Mr Potter?"

The earplugs must have been in that day, because he was still completely oblivious to the teacher's calling. The sandy-haired boy, Remus, nudged him and quickly whispered a spell.

"Mr Potter? Are with us now?"

"ARGH!! My ears!!" James yelled, clutching his numb ears that had just been lifted off the silencing spell.

"Is there something wrong Mr Potter?"

Lily sighed, she was getting rather irritated by that boy's actions, at this rate, she wouldn't be able to learn anything! She thought it was a complete waste of time that he existed.

"No Sir...," he flashed a white grin at him.

"Good now, _Mr Potter, _you have also received top marks in the Potions test," he gestured for him to come up to receive his test.

"Also?" he mock pouted, "Who else?"

"Lily Evans, she just got the award Potter, where have you been?"

James took a quick glance around the classroom and shrugged it off, "Right here good sir," and he jauntily walked up to get his sheet. After vigorously shaking the Professors hand and giving him a mock salute, he trudged back to his seat to be given a round of high-fives by his three mates.

Three mates? Like the whole class whose eyes followed him back to his infamous back seat, Lily watched with fascination. Never in her life had she met someone who could talk to a teacher so casually. It annoyed her. But yes, three mates? She could only remember Sirius and the sandy-haired boy. Where on earth did the little pudgy boy come in? She secretly thought he reminded her of _Winnie-the-Pooh_, no offence to the poor boy though. He did seem a little bit isolated. But then again, those four stuck together, now that she came to think about it. It was obvious that James and Sirius were the _leaders _of their group-if you could have one, correction-two. She didn't think it was right for someone to have more power over another in a friendship group. That sandy-haired boy, Remus, that was his name, though he was quiet, the two boys always went back to him for advice, well she thought so anyway, all that whispering behind those wrinkly hands. She wrinkled her nose at the thought of them. Perhaps they took him...Peter! in out of pity. Odd how life works she thought.

She wondered why out of all omelettes in the world, hers wasn't sunny-side up.

She came to the conclusion that it had been flipped.

And all she had to do now was flip it back the right way up.

Once she found that dreaded spatula.

James stretched his brain out to remember the familiar _Lily Evans_, he was sure he had heard that name before somewhere. But his already-filled brain just couldn't quite point out exactly where. Perhaps he should ask Sirius...after all he's better at names than he was...

_School. Ader. _James rolled his eyes, as if he hadn't figured that one yet!

Oh well, she must be another random that just smiles at me. James chuckled at his private joke. 

"Whacha laughing at there?" Sirius said as he smoothly turned his head to face his best-friend.

"Ha...nothing, you know that girl? Who also got top marks? Who is she?" He tilted his head as if he was in deep thought and hadn't thought about it yet.

"Rehearsed?"

"Thought about it."

Remus craned his head around Sirius and said looking at him in the eye, "Lily Evans mate. You should know that by now. You always share _the_ _smartest_ with her." Sometimes Remus didn't understand the tousled-haired boy. He was either really smart, or really thick. Take that Lily-girl for example. How on earth can he not _notice_ her existence? She only gets top marks in every subject. She's only known by every teacher in the whole school. Like honestly, she shares basically every title with James. She only sees the teacher after every lesson. Of course, for completely different reasons. She's known for her 'Einsteinity'-if there ever was such a word, where as James is known for his...Remus pondered as he wondered what Filch called them the other day...'Maraudarish' ways. She sees the teacher after every lesson to get extra homework, if it's not that, it's to clarify something that he briefly mentioned would be in their OWLs ten thousand years later, ok three, but that's not the point, where as James would be pulled back-involuntarily-to organise a detention. What's new?

"You make it sound like it's a bad thing."

"I didn't say it wasn't...was..."

"Just because I have more brain cells than you matey," he said in a mock huff.

"Well...I wouldn't bet on that one," he said with a wry smile, narrowly missing a slap on the back from James.

"Watch it," James mock glared. As they walked down the dim corridor, the four laughed loudly, giving it an air of brightness.

As the endless innocent days past, James and Lily, as if it was like a curse of fate, just continually missed each other. When James walked up the Gryffindor table, Lily would be walking down. Sometimes one would be walking in of the Great Hall and the other was walking out. Still the redhead and the tousle-haired never quite catch a glimpse of each other-not that either cared though, despite the fact they both had heard of each other's name enough to last them for a life time and a half.

"James Potter..."

"...so hot!"

"I love his..."

"...that hair..."

Only to have Lily roll her eyes and politely but quickly move on to a different subject.

"Marlene, what else do you know about Potter?"

"You mean..."

"Yeh, apart from his hair, his Quidditch skills and his general appearance."

"Um...I can find out when's his birthday?"

Lily rolled her eyes again.

Seriously, she was getting absolutely sick of hearing about this boy's hair, or Quidditch skills. First of all, who wants a guy who doesn't even own a brush, let alone know how to brush. Secondly, how on earth did they know how he played Quidditch, first years weren't allowed to play Quidditch-she heard from some arrogant complainer called...Galvin Gudgeon. _Funny he said that _she thought _he's like third year and he's still not in the Hufflepuff team yet. I wonder why he's still on about it. Brother, Davy, that's right. _Davy Gudgeon was as just as a hopeless case as Galvin Gudgeon was, well actually it was more like getting a snake to use a knife and fork. Exactly, completely hopeless. The more she thought about it, the more she wondered about what was so great about Mr James Potter, last time she looked at him he was a stick and a tennis ball with a black mop artistically plonked on top. The only way to save herself from times like these? Changing the subject. Even if it was always to her friends objections. That was her cue to roll her eyes-her eyes were going to be permanently looking askew if they continued this Potter-talk, especially when the wind blew. Which was quite often seeing Marlene enjoyed talking.

"Shut up Marlene..."

"Oh like shut up shut up? Or shut up about James?"

"Good question."

James on the other hand was only more infuriated when people gushed about Lily's academic successes.

"Top of..."

"Top of..."

"Top of..."

"Best of..."

James whipped around to face Gideon Prewett, a fellow second year in Ravenclaw, "Who's the best?"

"Oh hello James, haven't talked to you in a while. You're going to Quidditch trials next week right?"

"Who's the best?" James, not fazed by the different but favourite subject, pressed on.

"What are you on about?" Gideon, already forgotten about what he said in passing conversation, looked at him with the upmost weirdness.

"You just said that someone was the best?"

"Oh! _That!"_ he laughed at not realising earlier, "Lily! Lily Evans, you know the one with the red hair?"

"Red hair. Is that all she has? What's she the best of?"

"Funny you say that, since I'm in Ravenclaw, but I heard she's the best in the grade."

"The _what?"_ asked a horrified James.

"The best!" said Gideon exasperatedly. "Are you feeling alright James? You seem to be losing it a bit. Maybe you should go see Madam Pomfrey, she can fix your ears, or your head if that's the problem, in a jiffy."

James glared at him, "I am _perfectly _fine, thankyou very much."

"Sorry, just _worried."_

James shook his head in frustration, _Lily Evans, the best in the grade?_

"Hey Gideon, but the year's not even over yet?"

Gideon looked up, surprised at his mood-swing, "Yeh I know, but there's no doubt she will be anyway!" he gave a small smile and sidled away, not wanting to be caught at the bottom of his mood swing again.

James looked up and held his head high, his face looking triumphant. He still had a chance.

"Whacha so happy about James?" Sirius asked, catching a glimpse of that gleeful face.

"Nothing..." he wasn't giving it away yet.

Sirius rose an eyebrow but continued on with his lunch, already knowing his friend too well. He decided to give it time, it wouldn't be too long before he let his secret out.

"James!"

James shuddered, that voice was annoying him already, and he hadn't even seen the face yet! He turned around, catching Sirius clutching his stomach, crying with laughter, to face the inevitable.

"Hi Courtney."

"How are you feeling James?" her blonde hair seemed bigger than before. He felt the urge to stick her under the cold shower, not just to squish that big hair, but to wake her up!

"Better before."

"Aw...what happened?"

James turned to look at Sirius, eyes opened. Sirius refused to look at him in the eye.

James turned to look at Remus. Remus's back make that, apparently he had to tie his shoelaces. With fifty thousand knots probably. And magic just never crossed his mind it appeared.

James sighed. Now he had to recover after a little slip.

"Oh nothing...ate to quick...got myself a bit of a headache...," he flustered, he turned to continue eating.

"Want me to kiss you better?"

"I'll pass."

"Then why are you eating so fast," she demanded, with her hands on her hips.

He slowed down, noticeably. "You think?"

Courtney was still glaring. Funny he felt intimidated he thought, she's just some blonde idiot.

"This is very slow compared to the speed I normally eat at."

James was certain that Lily was much brighter than her.

Courtney bounced off her blonde hair irritably bouncing off after her.

"One day, I just want to chop all that off with a sword," muttered Sirius.

"Join the club."

James Potter was determined to find this Lily-girl, he was determined to get rid of her title as 'Top of the Class'. After all, what kind of ego would he have if a _girl_ beat him He was sure that it would be a very small one. How embarrassing _that_ would be! And that was _exactly_ the reason why he had to win.

Disclaimer: All J.K. Rowlings. (Who else?)

A/N: Sue me. Sorry for the delay. And for the short chapter. And for the very weak LJ action. It was kind of forced. But there is a reason for these chapters. I'm trying to develop the characters. For example. Lily's character. But I'm really sorry for boring you. Seriously sorry.

But I did put effort into this. Lots of time and research was done to fill in the extra characters. Like, they do actually exist. **Ask me if you want to know.**

I've had the worst two-weeks ever. Well it had it's fair share of ups and downs let's say. For example. The first week after posting Chapt3, I had a science test, I got my results back and not too depressed-82%, seeing the highest mark was 88%. Put it this way, the last science test, our whole class failed with the average of 35%. I got 48%. Still a complete joke. Ironically, I love science, it's one of my favourite subjects. Still completely sad though. Then, that Wednesday, my swimming coach got sacked. Just like that, no warning, no two weeks cooling period or whatever that's called. Just sacked. Odd? Totally. Awkward? Very. That Thursday morning, a new coach was shipped in. He turned out to be the Head Coach's old Assistant Coach. Fishy? Just a tad. He claimed to bring all sorts of new formulas to help us improve our times. Which includes yoga. I'm not a very spiritual person I admit, the most spiritual thing I've done is probably visit the _Tree of Life_ shop to buy some bracelets for my friend's Christmas Birthday. And after that would burn some incense candles to get to sleep. Lavender in fact. It helps. Last week, I got moved up to the Head Coach's squad. Honoured? Very. Happy/Sad? Both. Now the whole old-squad has fake-turned against me. They'd btch about me behind my back, but when I'd confront them, individually they'd be like, 'Oh, that was (name) not me!'. What a load of crap. Now I have to have a strict diet before I go swimming because it's so hard. I use to have yoghurt, banana and a whole list of what-not. Now it's a banana and water. Boring! (I'm a big-eater, thank goodness for swimming or I'd be a beach ball) Now, I reach today. I suffer from insomnia and must wake up early to go to school. Including tomorrow since I have netball training. So I'll leave now...:D

I can't post it now by the way. I haven't put my thankyous on. Another day...Nup, this won't put me to rest.


	5. The Missing Half

**Dream on Baby**

Thankyou Away with the Fairies4 for the review-go check out her story!

Chapter 5-The Missing Half

James sprinted through the barrier and abruptly was pulled to a stop when he crashed into an unknowing bystander.

"Watch where you're going, you-" he started to say when he realised who he had bumped into.

"It's fine," she waved him off without even a glance.

"James Potter. Pleasure to meet you," he stuck his hand out good-naturedly and grinned.

The girl turned around and raised an eyebrow at the stuck-out hand, "Mmm," she mumbled in slight agreement-or so James thought.

"Sorry? I didn't catch your name," he turned his head slightly and subconsciously brushed his hand that was stuck-out through his hair.

The girl's eyes narrowed, "I didn't _throw_ it to you," she snapped and stalked off.

James lifted his head back in utter surprise.

"Sorry mate, first rejections are always a bit hard," Sirius chuckled, clapping his shoulder.

"Yeh, course you'd know," he punched his friend in the shoulder.

His friend pushed him tumbling into the carriage.

* * *

"Lily, _who_ were you just talking to just then?" Her loyal friend Marlene leaned into a bored Lily.

"Some dim-witted, unfortunately unattractive loser," her, Marlene's, thinking of 'how to word it nicely' went to waste as Lily responded with hardly the slightest ounce of expression who had just started to do her hair.

"_Incorrect Lily Evans!" _Marlene raised her hand in triumph then sighed. "You were talking to James Potter!"

"Oh, come to think of it, I think he mentioned his name somewhere in our brief encounter," she raised her hands and started to pick her nails.

"He what?" She grasped her chest in mock-anguish. "That is so romantic!"

"And you would know _what_ about romance?"

"Everything! That was just beautiful! _He introduced himself to you!"_ Marlene sighed again and went to a dreamy state.

"Well for all I care, _you_ can have him!" and with that she went off to the bathroom to cool down.

Marlene sighed and her eyes glazed over.

* * *

"James?" a recognisable shrilly voice filled the carriage.

James glanced at Remus who raised an eyebrow in humour. He shrugged and gave a sly smile to Siruis and Remus.

"Hey Courtney!"

The unexpected 'cheerful' greeting surprised Courtney as much as it surprised his carriage-mates. Sirius was hit by a rather large coughing fit.

"I-I-I'm go-o-od!" he gasped out spraying chocolate bits everywhere.

Courtney stepped back out of the firing line and wiped fake bits of chocolate off her face, "Sharing is caring," she reminded him, giving him a white smile.

She strutted in, squeezing her slim figure through Sirius's and James long legs. She waits in front of James and Peter. Peter obliges her glare and backs to the corner of the carriage. And she gracefully places herself to James side of the space between him and Peter.

They all shifted to the side substantially.

But that only made Courtney sidle up next to James more.

James had to make a split-second decision, push her out and risk the rest of the female population or follow on.

Option C was chosen.

"Hey Remus and Peter, Craig Thomas has this mad thing he wants to show us!"

James gave a one-finger salute next to his leg to his fellow friends as they trooped out in silent laughter.

"Soo...James how has your summer been? I've been so looking forward to the train ride back to Hogwarts you know..." she said softly staring right up to his eyes, her hand that was previously on his thigh heatedly, was slowly creeping up.

James sighed inside and placed his arm around her shoulder, "Uneventful without you."

Courtney giggled, "That's so sweet James, only you would say that kinda stuff to me."

He looked into her eyes and saw two blue donuts with black holes...

* * *

Lily splashed her face with cold water ten times before being interrupted by three quick knocks.

A pink face appeared on the other side of the door.

"Could you take _any_ longer?" Courtney said, placing her hands on her hip, as she stared at her.

Lily wasn't much of a self-conscious girl, but this time she wasn't sure whether she was staring at her because she was _her_ or because of the state she was in with water dripping down her face and onto her white shirt.

"You might not be aware of it as it probably can't penetrate that far into your head, but there is another bathroom on this train."

"I am aware of it, for your information."

Lily looked at her out of the slits her eyelids had made, "Well use them!"

"These, were closer," her body edging up closer to the door. However, it was still impossible for Courtney Esse-Dulcedo to enter as Lily had strategically leaned against the door and had her arm holding a firm grasp onto the door, which was a good ten centimetres away from her.

"Well, I'm not quite done yet," she smiled and closed the door in her face.

Courtney screamed at the door in annoyance and stomped her foot.

Lily was quite done with the bathroom and her reason to stay there was purely to annoy her. But she was also sure that she was outside sitting-impatiently-for her to come out.

She tapped her foot.

She sang.

She talked to people really loudly about how people take so long in the bathrooms outside in the corridor. Talk about hinting.

She drummed her fingers on the door.

She tapped her foot...and the cycle began again. One can only have so much patience. Lily's mouth began to curve upwards, a plan just forming in her head.

* * *

"_What the hell is that?_" Sirius plucked the glittery medallion out of James' hands.

"Aw man, give it back!" James jumped back and tried to wrestle it out of his hands.

Back in the carriage, Sirius, Remus and Peter had come back from 'being shown that mad thing' precisely after Courtney had left leaving a very steamy carriage and a disorientated James (to Peter's disgust-_What did you do?_ Only for him to answer his question-_Actually, I don't want to know!_ And to Remus's raised eyebrows-_You look crap man_, it seemed though that James didn't think so-_You think? I reckon this look is kinda sexy._ Siruis obviously didn't agree-_Which mirror ya looking at pal?_ James responded-_Oh, Courtney told me._ His friends just stared and laughed.). Despite Courtney's notorious background, James had to admit, she was fun-which, he thought, might have been the reason for her 'notorious background'. And he didn't have to think, all he had to do was kiss her. Actually he didn't do much of that, Courtney was leading basically the whole way. _So this is what it feels like to be some kind of hooker_ James thought, _must be easy money..._, chuckling at his own private joke, _nah mum would chuck a fit!_ He seriously could just imagine his mum if he came home one day to say he was going to work in some brothel.

_Mrs Potter's eyes widened, "Oh dear," and she dropped to the floor out cold. _

"Well what is it?" Sirius dangled it out of James outstretched arm's reach, also in everyone's view.

"Some sort of necklace? James...something you not telling us?" with a glance at Remus's amused face-especially his mouth that was unsuccessfully hiding back a grin, he made a swipe for Remus's arm. Of course, when James was angry, he couldn't exactly concentrate and ended up taking his CloudFluff.

"Sorry dude-_Reparo,_" and all the white foamy drink that was on the floor was instantly back in the cup.

"James ya know, I've seen girls around school wear them. They like say how much they love their bestfriend or boyfriend. That's kinda weird how your ones kinda blank but that's not the point. Or, some jinxed ones say really embarrassing stuff when their crush walks past them. Except I haven't heard anything weird all day, of course you might not necessarily have a crush right now but Courtney...Are you telling me...?" Peter eyed James thoughtfully as he crossed his arms and legs.

"Peter, you think I would buy those _pathetic_ Chains. And give the other part or parts to some girl?" James rolled his eyes and sat back in the seat.

"Well you coulda given it to us!" Peter replied indignantly.

"Are you telling me you want one?" he opened one eye and looked at Peter pity.

"No...I mean," he held onto the 'n' as he thought of a reason.

"Screw it, just tell me what it's for," Sirius said waving his hand impatiently. "Us I mean, we _all_ want to know what it's for."

"Are you telling me that-" Peter jumped up thinking he had uncovered the truth.

"_I haven' told you anything!"_ James threw his hands up in frustration.

"Well tell us," Remus stated with a neutral expression on his face. James looked at him and sighed.

"Ok, well," he took a deep breath.

"Well..." Sirius prompted, "Sometime today would be nice."

"Ok sure. Until laters boys," James stood up and made his way out the door.

Sirius stuck his leg out like a barrier, "You know what I mean, sit down."

He looked at his friends steadily and ordered, "Don't laugh."

His friends looked and nodded, realising this might be more serious than what they thought.

"Well, my parents have quite a fair bit in Gringotts right?" He sighed, trying to imagine how much worse could life get. He couldn't. "Well, they want someone to pass it on to..."

Peter looked at him strangely, "Um James you could always come to my place."

James turned around and faced Peter with his face covered in confusion.

And the light bulb turned on in all of them and they all blabbed out, "Oh! I'm not adopted." "You could come to mine too James!" "Peter! What are you thinking of?"

And then the carriage was quiet once more.

James dipped his head and blushed, "Yeh well. Yeh, so they'll pass the money to me when they die," he held his breath again, waiting to see if he should continue.

"And then the medallion comes in..."

"Yeh well, you know my super prepared parents, they're thinking a hundred years down the track already. And they're like what happens when I die?"

James eyed his friends again and finding no mines, he continued on, "So they thought they might speed up the process and give me a freaking Chain."

Sirius had had his eyebrows raised the whole time till they finally let off, with his mouth opening in reflex and hooted out a laugh.

"Hey it's not that funny!"

"You're thirteen!" Peter said pointing out the obvious.

James grabbed his hair in annoyance-even Peter figured it out!

"So your thing is gonna call out your crushes name? That's gonna be a total joke."

"Nah this is thing is more advanced than those dodgy things Peter's girls wear," prodding his chain smiling at the only thing it appeared to be worth being proud of. "_This_ _Chain_ will find _my_ partner." He closed his eyes and bathed in the glory of possessing something so valuable.

Remus took the Chain and studied it, emotions ran past his face until he tentatively said, "Um James, you're missing part of it."

A/N: Oh dear. I don't have an excuse except that I have been pure lazy and irresponsible. Sorry. I have been trying to re-evaluate my priorities. I also have a livejournal now. And have discovered that I can't keep a diary. Like the past ten lying around in the house. Ah well. I'll try to update asap.

Tell you what will spur me on? -grins evilly- yep that's right pals-REVIEW. Thanks:D

Btw, my livejournal user thing is, with total originality, captainstar. Lol. Star xx


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